Combination steering and propulsion system



p 3', 1940- H. G. GENTRY 2,213,520

COMBINATION STEERING AND PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed Oct. 26, 1938 limp f/cvwzoadf 66 /242 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 3, 1940 ares earn 4 COMBINATION STEERING AND PRGEHJL- SEQN SYSTEM 3 Claims.

My invention relates to boats, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved combination motor operated steering and propulsion system.

Anobject of my invention is to provide a. motor operated system of propulsion and steering facilities which may be mounted on a small boat of conventional design in which novel means are incorporated to facilitate control of the boat by the feet of the operator so as to render his hands free for other purposes, as when casting, fly fishing, and slow trawling.

More specifically, I mount an electric outboard motor driven propeller on each side of the boat and provide each motor with a foot operated switch mechanism so that each motor may be individually controlled by one foot for propelling and steering purposes. For forward or rearward propulsion, the two motors are operated sin1ultanecusly. Each motor is of the reversible type and is provided with a foot actuated switch, which includes a forward, reverse, and neutral position.

In steering, either motor may be individually operated, or one motor may be operated in a forward direction and the other motor reversed, as when making sharp turns. The motors are operated from an electric storage battery carried by the boat. I provide means to facilitate quick and easy attachment of the electric motors with the side of the boat, which means are so devised as to permit reversal thereof for positioning the motors inside the boat when not in use for any considerable period of time.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top end View of a small boat illustrating my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of one of the boat sides, illustrating one of the motor units;

Figure l is a plan view of one of the clamps. employed for attaching the associated motor to the boat side; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit associated with one of the motors and the switch for controlling the operation of that electric motor.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, I make use of a small boat It to the sides l2 of which I mount motor driven propulsion units M. Each unit includes a propeller it and a foot control i8. Units M are identical in construction so that the description of one will apply to both.

In Figures 2 and 3, a clamp til is secured to the boat side 22 for suporting the reversible outboard motor 253 which drives the associated propeller it. Clamp 28 includes a flange 26 arranged to engage the outer face of the side if: and a flange 28 which carries a clamp screw 39 arranged to be turned down against the inner face or rein forcing timber 3?; of the side 22. Thus tightening of the screw 36 will effectively secure the clamp to the boat side 22.

Clamp 28 includes a laterally projecting ear having an opening 36 for loosely receiving the bolt 33 provided with a hook til. Bolt 33 is provided with a wing nut if? for drawing the hook upon the shaft M which extends vertically of the boat side 22. Hook lil draws the shaft it against the ear 3d so as to make the shaft secure. The lower end of the shaft M is provided with a right angular bend it which is bored at it to receive the tubular housing 53 which supports the motor 2 3, in addition to constituting ahousing for a drive shaft 52, see Figure 3.

A bevel gear is secured to the shaft ti l-and is arranged in mesh with a bevel gear 56 secured to a shaft 58, to the external end of which the propeller N5 is secured. Gears 5 3 and 56, together with the greater run of the shaft 53, are enclosed in a housing til provided with a con- .ventional stuffing box 52 to render the housing water tight. It will thus be seen that rotation of the shaft 52 through the medium of the motor 2d will impart rotation to the propeller it.

Foot controls it each includes a rotatable shaft connected at its lower end with a foot shaft through the medium of a bolted joint 58. The outer end of the foot shaft lit is bifurcated at IE3 for the reception of the toe of the. foot so that the shaft t t xtends into a switch housing l2 and is connected with an insulated block 5 5, see

Figure 5. Block M is connected with an arm is to which I connect tension springs it, which springs are connected at their outer ends with a stationary support Springs it hold the arm it in the normal position of Figure 5. Contact arms 82 and M are connected with the block 74.

The storage battery 35 is connected with a wire 88 which leads to the; contact arm 82. The wire 9i? is connected with the source battery 86 and leads to the motor Q2. The wire 9d leads from the motor 52 to the switch arm 3d. The field of the reversing motor includes wires 9% and Hit, respectively, connected with terminals H12 and iii I84 arranged to be electrically connected with the switch arms 82 and 84, respectively. A wire I86 connects the wire 98 with a third terminal I88 arranged to be engaged by the contact arm 84. Contact arms 82 and 84 move as a unit to manipulation of the foot control I8 associated therewith.

Movement of the contact arms 82 and 84 into engagement with terminals I82 and I94, respectively, will close the circuit as follows: from battery 86 to wire 88, contact -arm 82, terminal I82, wire 98, field 96, wire Iilfl, terminal I84, contact arm 84, wire 88, motor 92, and wire 98 back to the battery 86. Thus the circuit to the motor will be closed for operating its armature in one direction. I

Shifting of the switch arms 82 and 84 into engagement with the terminals I84 and I08, respectively, will close the circuit as follows: battery 86 to wire 88, contact arm 82, terminal IM, wire I80, field 96, wire 98, wire I08, terminal H38, contact arm 84, wire 94, motor 92, and wire 9!) back to the battery 86. Thus the motor will rotate in the opposite direction.

In operation, the operator may take a sitting position in the boat with the toes of his shoes positioned in the bifurcations 10. Forward pressure on the controls I8 will close the circuit through the motors 24 for simultaneously operating both'propellers I6. Each motor is provided with a circuit such as that disclosed in Figure 5. Since both circuits are identical in construction, the description has been limited to one. A slight pull on the controls E8 in a rearward direction will reverse the motors 24 for propelling the boat backwards. When no pressure is applied to the controls I8, the springs I8 associated with the two foot controls I8 will hold the latter in their normal positions. One control I8 may be pushed forward, and the other control pulled rearward so that the propellers IE will rotate in opposite directions. Reverse rotation of the propellers will impart a quick turning action to the boat for making sharp turns. In making slow turns, one propeller I6 is sufficient for turning the boat.

The tubular housing 50 may be adjusted to vary the elevation of the propeller I6, thus rendering the devices applicable to boats of different sizes. The tubes 58 may be elevated for bringing the propeller I6 above a line defined by the inner face of the boat bottom I III and the brackets 20 reversed for positioning the motors,

24 and the propellers inside the boat. Hooks 40 may be adjusted to secure the desired angularity of the shaft M. Thus the propeller I6 may be accurately located with respect to boats of different construction. Boltconnections 68 permit the foot controls I8 to be adjusted to different positions vertically so as to satisfy the needs of the operator.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention that others may, by applying currentknowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. In a boat having sides, clamps adapted to be clamped to the sides of the boat at their upper margins, a motor carried by each clamp including a propeller operatively connected with each motor, an electric circuit including two switches each mounted on one of said clamps for controlling its respective motor, means for selectively actuating said switches, said means comprising vertical rotative shafts operatively connected with the respective switches, and foot actuated members pivotally connected with said vertical rotative shafts for adjustment about horizontal axes, said vertical rotative shafts being independently actuated by their respective foot actuated members for selectively actuating the switches, said vertical rotative shafts extending downwardly inside the boat and said foot actuated members being adjustable about said horizontal axes for locating said foot actuated members for height with respect to the bottom of the boat, said foot actuated members extending in the direction of each other.

2. In a boat having a side, a clamp adapted to be clamped to the side of the boat at its upper margin, 2. motor carried by said clamp including a propeller operatively connected with said motor, an electric circuit including a switch mounted on said clamp for controlling the motor, means for selectively actuating said switch, said means comprising a verticalrotative shaft operatively connected with said switch, and a foot actuated member pivotally connected with said vertical rotative shaft for adjustment about a horizontal axis, said vertical rotative shaft being actuated by said member for actuating the switch, said vertical rotative shaft extending downwardly inside the boat and said foot actuated member being adjustable about said axis for locating said foot actuated member for heightwith respect to the bottom of the boat. v

3. In a boat having sides, clamps adapted to be clamped to the sides of the boat at their upper margins, a motor carried by each clamp including a propeller operatively connected with each motor, an electric circuit including. twoswitches each mounted on one of said clamps for controlling its respective motor, means for selectively actuating said switches, said means comprising vertical rotative shafts operatively connected with the respective switches, and foot actuated members pivotally connected with said vertical rotative shafts for adjustment about horizontal axes, said vertical rotative shafts being independently actuated by their respective foot actuated members for selectively actuating the switches said vertical rotative shafts extending downwardly inside the boat and said foot actuated members being adjustable about said horizontal axes for locating said foot actuated members for height with respect to the bottom of the boat,

each of said foot actuated members having a bifurcated formation for the reception of the foot of the operator.

I-IERMOND G. GENTRY. 

